Health Insurance reform

The National Health Insurance Exchange would also act as a watchdog group that creates rules and standards for participating insurance, and makes coverage more accessible and affordable. Insurers would be required to justify above-average premium increases. The exchange would publicize differences between insurance plans, according to the Obama Web site.

Employers that do not offer or make a significant contribution to employees’ health coverage would be required to contribute a percentage of paid wages toward the costs of the national health care plan. Small businesses would be exempt from this requirement and receive a refundable tax credit of up to 50% on premiums paid by those businesses for their employees, according to the Web site.

“This new credit will provide a strong incentive to small businesses to offer high quality health care to their workers and help improve the competitiveness of America’s small businesses,” the campaign said.